Hardys Bay Whale Aboriginal engravings

Summary: An Aboriginal engraving site which has two large whales - both swimming in the same direction but on separate rock platforms - along Hardys Bay Trail in Bouddi National Park.

  • Site type: Rock engraving
  • Number of sites: 2
  • Number of motifs: 2
  • Motif/s: Whale
  • Quality: 3.5/5
  • Condition of site: Good
  • Year first recorded: 2018
  • Originally Recorded by: Ian Sim
  • Sim Reference: Sim Collection Site 1/13
  • Ian Sim, Archaelogical Sites in the Sydney Region – A Record of Field Surveys 1958-1973 (“SIm Collection”), Site 1/13 (Kincumber Peninsula), p.4

Along the Hardys Bay Trail in Bouddi National Park are two large Aboriginal engravings of whales, on separate rock platforms. They are both swimming in the same direction. The southern-most whale is the largest, and is about ten metres in length.

Hardys Trail Whale

The carving has been highlighted, so the grooves are fairly visible.

1X3A6814 LR Hardys Bay Whale Aboriginal engravings
1X3A6815 LR Hardys Bay Whale Aboriginal engravings

Near the outline of the whale is what appears to be a carving of an oval.

1X3A6828 LR Hardys Bay Whale Aboriginal engravings

The second whale is slightly smaller (about five metres in length) and on a smaller rock platform.

1X3A6832 LR Hardys Bay Whale Aboriginal engravings

Some of the grooves at the posterior of the whale are weathered and the tail is hard to make out. At the head of the whale are two parallel grooves which are clearly pecked – it could be a “correction” similar to the whale at Shark Rock Ridge.

1X3A6838 LR Hardys Bay Whale Aboriginal engravings
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